The Bills have elected to take the internal route regarding their head coaching position. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady has been promoted to the role, as first reported by Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. 
The news is now official, per a team announcement. This is a five-year agreement, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini adds. After a nine-year run with Sean McDermott at the helm, the Bills will hope a familiar first-time head coach will be able to get them over the hump in the postseason.
Once McDermott was fired in the wake of Buffalo’s latest divisional round loss, Brady was named as a logical replacement candidate the team knows well. Indeed, the Bills showed interest in former offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and ex-Josh Allen teammate Davis Webb while weighing their options. All three have received looks elsewhere on the market, but instead of departing Brady has elected to remain in place and take over Buffalo’s staff.
Brady interviewed twice with the Ravens and Raiders for their HC vacancies. He also arranged an in-person meeting with the Cardinals, but that will not take place. A promotion always loomed as a strong possibility in this case, and after working in Buffalo the past four years Brady will now take on a head coaching position for the first time in his career by remaining in a familiar spot.
The 36-year-old spent two seasons as a Saints assistant before joining LSU’s staff for 2019. Brady’s work with the national champions that year drew attention based on the Tigers’ remarkable offensive production and boosted his coaching stock to a large extent. It immediately landed him an OC gig with the Panthers. Things did not go according to plan during Matt Rhule‘s Carolina tenure, but Brady did not need to wait long to find a new opportunity once his two-year Panthers run came to an end. He joined the Bills in 2022 as their quarterbacks coach.
Ken Dorsey was in place as Buffalo’s offensive coordinator at the time. That remained the case until midway through the 2023 campaign, when Dorsey was fired. Brady took over for the remainder of the season and stayed in place as the team’s play-caller through 2024 and ’25. During his two full years as an OC, Buffalo ranked second and then fourth in the NFL in scoring. The Bills also posted top-10 finishes in total offense under Brady.
Expectations will no doubt remain high for the team on offense with Brady still in place and a core highlighted by Allen under contract. Buffalo remained strong as a rushing team this past season, but struggles in the passing game proved to be an issue. The Bills will presumably aim to bring in at least one notable pass-catcher this offseason, but in the meantime Brady will now turn his attention to building a staff.
An OC replacement will need to be sought out, with a decision on whether or not Brady will call plays being required as well. Defensive coordinator Bobby Babich remains in place at this time; Babich has worked as the team’s DC for the past two years but his Buffalo tenure dates back to 2017. It will be interesting to see how much Brady prioritizes experience as opposed to seeking out external options over the coming days.
As part of the decision to move on from McDermott, Bills owner Terry Pegula elected to promote general manager Brandon Beane to president of football operations. That elevated Beane’s standing in the organization and no doubt increased his sway during HC interviews. Allen also had input in the head coaching decision, and the coordinator in place from his 2024 MVP season will remain in the organization moving forward.
Candidates with a wide range of coaching experience interviewed with the Bills in the aftermath of McDermott’s dismissal. Other highly-regarded staffers such as Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak may have also received a look, but Buffalo was not eligible to speak with him until after the Super Bowl. Instead of waiting for Kubiak or any other external candidates, Pegula and Co. have decided to promote from within.
Wasn’t my first choice. 🤔
Mine either
Well now Nate Scheelhaase can go to Cleveland……
Wow. Talk about uninspiring.
My guess is this is a short term band-aid and the search starts again next year unless there is some kind if ridiculous success.
Yeah, it’s uninspiring to have a top five offensive line, a top five scoring offense, to have cut down Allen’s turnovers greatly, and one of the best rushing attacks in the league, all things that weren’t true before he took that job over, and this while having by everyone’s estimation less talent than when they legit had the best roster in football when Daboll was calling plays.
I know you feel super cool typing this out and quoting stats.
But – I beg you watch a game. Try the Houston game. I know you will also say that you did, but this comment alone says you didn’t.
This hire is a committed to a run first offense throwing a dozen screens a game.
Running screens is also a waste of the best QB in football.
Its a signal that Beane will once again ignore the WR position because he wants to be right.
Its a signal that Josh can just make it work and thats all you need.
Its a safe pick that wont challenge the GM.
Realfootballfan loves throwing the ball at the LOS on 3rd and 10.
You can nitpick any play caller. Lion fans were nitpicking Johnson a year ago. Did he or did he not score 30 ppg since he took over, and that’s apparently with no WRs according to fans like you. Number one rushing game. Cut Allen’s turnovers way down. OL went from a liability to one of the best in the league since he took over the offense. Scored more than enough for a competent defensive coordinator to win the three playoff losses he’s been in charge of the offense.
Right. It also means that you can justify anything.
I accept and recognize your cop out.
Also – did you watch any games?
Genuinely curious.
Who would have inspired you, Aaron Rodgers?
Yes, because as everyone knows the only choices are Aaron and Joe.
Nice work buddy.
short term bandaid on a 5 yr deal?
You think he has that much leash do you?
So I’ll ask it again. What exactly changes then?
Maybe – just maybe, people want change. They want a real NFL passing offense, real NFL and receivers to go with our real NFL QB.
But Im just a diehard Bills fan who watches every game.
Im sure an outsider opinion is just as valid though.
Thanks for asking!
Thanks for missing the point. You fired the HC. You put the guy in charge who has run the offense badly with one of the best QB’s in the league by getting him no WR’s or offensive line and make him run for his life and get beat up. Allen needs a Head Coach who can fix those problems not the same old crap. Allen won’t last and then what’s left? I remember a year ago when the Bears were stupid enough to keep Eberlose thinking more of the same was gonna work. Only when Johnson was hired did any real change happen. But enjoy your status quo. I’ve seen enough Bills games lately to be smart enough to see what works and what doesn’t but hey enjoy.
Fire the incompetent coach and replace him with the incompetent OC. Josh Allen should demand a trade from this clown show
incompetent OC? based on…
also Allen I’m sure had say in this as widely reported
Had the number two and number four scoring offense in football allegedly with no receivers according to everyone, but he’s incompetent. Developed one of the best OLs in the league when that was a major weakness under Dorsey and Daboll. but yep, he’s incompetent. Fans are stupid. It wasn’t his offense that gave up 33 points last weekend to Denver while scoring 30.
Joe Brady is definitely the reason for that and not the fact that he had the best QB in the league and a top 5 RB. Praising Brady for being better than two other awful OCs doesn’t make him good. The Bills defense was their biggest problem but this should have been a clean house situation. Keeping Beane and Brady around will only lead to more of the same
What exactly does the QB have to do with the offensive line and rushing game going from being nonexistent to literally the best in the league? Also, why was he a turnover machine under Dorsey and McDermott but turned into an efficient passer under Brady? Because according to you, Allen coaches himself and socres all the Tds, runs the ball, blocks for himself, and plays defense too.
Allen having a say is part of the problem.
Good hire.
Unbillievable, actually after that press conference who are we kidding. What a downgrade, so disappointing
what would have been an upgrade in your mind?
The offense hasn’t been the problem in Buffalo the last three years. He saved McDermott’s job in 2023.
not surprised by this hire, but 5 years and the timing means he likely had an offer from another team pending.
That’s pretty standard for a contract in this cycle. He should have been higher on other team’s lists, but everyone likes shiny and new. Webb and Schilhasse have never even called plays or run an offense. Kubiak didn’t even seem interested. Minter was locked into Baltimore. This ws the logical fit. The only other one I could see is Eudinski because he has an impressive presence with the requisite experience, and I’m sure it came down to Allen preferring Brady.
Our condolences.
Seems like it’s change for change’s sake.
Yeah, because McDermott didn’t get seven cracks at it.
For his sake he better not crap the bed. Ownership expects a SB and if he can’t deliver he’ll be out of a job in 2-3 yrs
Because they desperately needed a change but also didn’t.
Joe Brady: “Hey Terry, I was thinking of hiring Sean McDermott as an assistant coach…you okay with that?”
Josh was just hired as oc
Oooof! Glad I’m not a Bills fan today.
And every Jets fan is grinning like the Cheshire cat.
Why? Because you’ll have another #1 pick a year from now?
What?
I would have waited and chose Kubiak. Brady has done a good job, not great. They can run and throw, but not with precision. The offensive line is more powerful than athletic. It goes as Allen goes and he will run rather than waiting for secondary receivers to get open. He has gotten away with it, but once he finally has an injury or slows down, he will have to rely on his passing skills, release and decision making even more. We will see if Brady can get the defense even better.
How bout they replace the gm who has only 2 pro bowlers in his 56 draft picks
That’s fine I guess? Unlike a lot of Bills fans here, I don’t hate Brady. They complain about the lack of WR production being his fault, but it’s tough when you don’t have a single legit downfield receiver. His offense has been consistently awesome for two years with only the Houston loss standing out as a complete disaster. Houston crushes every offense.
I’m fine with it I guess, he just hasn’t struck me as particularly inspiring or a commanding a presence… at least what I saw in hard knocks. He doesn’t seem to have crazy great charisma.
Well hope for the best… Go Bills!
So no one wanted the job lol
I actually predicted this if you check out the article where McDermott’s firing was announced 😁 I just figured they would hate to see him go succeed elsewhere when they could have just kept & promoted him.